Tidbits -- The North Face, Big Agnes, Bookins, Groom Mate Platinum XL, ATTITUDE and more!

Here are some Tidbits of information on a variety of interesting eco-friendly products...

1) The North Face has introduced two new sleeping bags made from 100% post-consumer recycled materials - Re Meow (available for around $200 through Backcountry.com) and the Green Kazoo, available for $279-289 direct from The North Face.

2) More eco-friendly camping gear courtesy of Big Agnes, which won a Green gear of the year award from Backpacker Magazine for the Salt Creek 2, its 100% recycled polyester tent.

3) There's a lot of waste and inefficiency in the world. Bookins tries to reduce the waste by matching people who have stuff (books, DVDS) they don't want with folks who happen to want that exact same stuff. Pay a flat rate ($4.49) for shipping, keep the items you get or swap them onward. There's a points system involved, so presumably you have to be willing to give (i.e. get rid of the things you don't want) in order to get something you do want. Remember that "reuse" is a big part of the "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" triumverate.

4) Much of modern culture is literally disposable. It's designed to break quickly so you'll buy another one. Good for sales maybe, but not good for the planet. In the old days, items were made to last years, decades, a lifetime, maybe even generations. (This level of craftsmanship is reportedly being resuscitated in the UK by a brand called Howies'...) Here in the USA, you can find the same durable and sensible design in an unlikely product - a nose-hair clipper. Before you scoff, consider the fact that grooming is a basic animal instinct. The Groom Mate Platinum XL (a top-seller at Amazon.com) is not in fact made of platinum, but rather stainless steel, a nicely recyclable material. Unlike some nose hair trimmers, the Groom Mate is human-powered and requires no batteries. It's simple, yet elegant design slices nose hairs safely and comfortably. Should the product ever fail, Groom Mate provides a lifetime warranty. Good design sometimes goes a long way toward making a product Green.

5) You know, lots of people have a bad attitude. (They should learn from Hobbes who when pressed to adopt an attitude by Calvin suggested that "courteously deferential" might be a good attitude to have.) Another good attitude is respect for the planet and the creatures that live here, as embodied by ATTITUDE(R) cleaning products from the Canadian company Bio-Spectra. ATTITUDE's hand soap, laundry detergent, surface cleaners and dish soap are all labeled biodegradable, non-toxic and environmentally-friendly. There's lots to like about ATTITUDE, including the packaging (which includes charming photos of penguins, koalas and other cute critters). But more importantly, the packages carry the Canadian Ecologo. The laundry detergent also happens to be formulated for cold-water -- another feature that's good for the planet and for your energy bill. Oh and the essential oils like tangerine and ylang-yland used to scent the products smell great (although you can generally opt for fragrance-free formulations too). Look for ATTITUDE cleaners online at Amazon.com or offline at Whole Foods.

Sylvania Living Spaces CFL bulbs + DOT it LED lights

I'm a big fan of CFL bulbs.

How can you not like a product that uses 1/4 of the electricity of incandescent bulbs to cast the same amount of light? Using less energy not only saves money, it also reduces the demand on the electrical grid and lessens the urgency of building new power plants.

Add in the fact that CFL bulbs are rated to last around 12-times longer than incandescents (approximately 12,000 hours for CFLs versus 1,000 hours for incandescents) and the argument in favor of CFLs becomes even stronger.

Many hotel chains and stores have recognized the benefits of CFLs and made the switch. So why are some consumers holding back?

1) Price. CFL bulbs used to be much more expensive than incandescents, but prices have been falling. CFLs will still cost more at the register, but when you factor in replacement costs and energy savings, CFLs definitely make sense from a pocketbook perspective.

2) Mercury. This is a valid point. Mercury is an extremely hazardous substance and CFLs do contain mercury while incandescents don't. On the other hand, CFL manufacturers have been working hard to reduce the amount of mercury in their bulbs. Last year, we covered the Sylvania Micro-Mini Twist, which contains just 1.5 milligrams of mercury. For comparison sake, we linked to Gaiam, which pointed out that the old mercury thermometers many of us used to use in our homes contained 500 milligrams of mercury. Still, you do need to be careful if a bulb should happen to break (PDF) and you can't just dispose of the bulbs by throwing them in the trash when they do eventually wear out. You wouldn't want that mercury to leak into a landfill. Fortunately, many major retailers have programs to accept old CFL bulbs free of charge for proper disposal.

(Here's some more info from TreeHugger and the US EPA on what to do if a mercury-containing CFL bulb breaks in your home.)

3) Light quality. This is the big one for many people and it's one with which I can sympathize. CFL bulbs have been belittled for having an unpleasantly cold or bluish light. Personally, I think these concerns have been a bit overblown too, but if you've been worried that CFLs will plunge you into depression, fear no more. Sylvania has recently come out with a new series of Living Spaces(TM) CFL bulbs that provide what Sylvania (accurately) calls "Cozy, Comfortable Lighting(TM)".

Honestly, I didn't realize that my old CFL bulbs were not cozy or comfortable, but when I swapped in the new Living Spaces 23-watt bulbs (slightly fewer lumens than a 100-watt incandescent), I immediately noticed the difference.

Frankly, the new bulb did perk up my demeanor and make me want to skip around the apartment a little. Yep, it was like having a cheerful petit ball of sunshine in my home.

I also liked the fact that the packaging is made of 100% recyclable paperboard.

By the way, in case you're wondering how Sylvania gets such a warm light from its CFL bulbs, the company attributes the difference to "enhanced phosphors".

Note that these new Living Spaces bulbs still have the small dimensions of the Micro-Mini Twist. They also still contain less than 1.5 milligrams of mercury each, according to Sylvania.

Caveat - Sylvania warns that these bulbs are not designed to be used in dimmable lamps, but if you have a lamp with a dimmer, Sylvania has introduced a new line of Mini Twist Dimmable bulbs.

FYI, Sylvania doesn't just make CFL bulbs. In fact, the company has taken the exciting step of introducing a number of LED-powered lighting solutions. Since LEDs are even more efficient than CFLs (i.e. use less power to produce an equivalent amount of lumens), this is an exciting step.

LED bulbs are still rather expensive, but we had a chance to test two Sylvania LED products - the DOT-it(R) Solar and the DOT-it Linear Swivel.

As the name suggests, the DOT-it Solar is solar-powered. Sylvania has very cleverly designed the light with a suction cup so you can stick it your window where the solar-panel will suck up plenty of power to help the 3 LEDs shine for a long time.

The DOT-it Linear Swivel runs on batteries (three AAAs) and can be mounted in numerous ways (velcro, magnetic, adhesive) under a cabinet, in a garage or anywhere else you might need some really bright, tightly-focused light. And here's an idea: you can use rechargeable AAA batteries to reduce landfill waste and make your lighting even more efficient!

These DOT-it products seem like a nice option if you need a bit of extra light someplace and want an efficient solution that doesn't involve any wiring.

Incidentally, the DOT-it Linear Swivel features a very cool on-off mechanism where you lightly run your finger over a "touch sensor" to control the light. Not exactly sure how that works, but it is (as they say in California, "hella cool").

Also, a slight warning about the power of these LEDs: Don't look directly into the light. The DOT-it Swivel is meant to shine down onto a countertop or workspace, but while testing it, I had it pointed up so I could examine it more closely. I accidentally looked at the light saw spots for a while afterwards. Conclusion - these puppies are bright.

Where to buy:

Shop the Sylvania online store for a full selection of DOT-it lights including the DOT-it Solar ($14.99) and the DOT-it Linear Swivel ($9.99).

Sylvania says the Living Spaces bulbs are available at Lowe's ($13-15 for 2-pack), but we were unable to find them in Lowe's online store. Call your local Lowe's store to see if they bulbs are in stock.

You can also find many Sylvania DOT-it products (complete with customer reviews) at Amazon.com.

The Natural Dentist

Lots of toothpastes include an ingredient called SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) to help clean your teeth. But did you know that in higher concentrations, SLS is also used to degrease engines and clean floors, according to Wikipedia.

Toothpastes from The Natural Dentist are SLS-free. They're also free of alcohol, artificial dyes, sweeteners and preservatives.

Because really, why should your toothpaste or mouthwash be bright green or bright blue? That's just not natural!

Even though I'm approaching my mid-30s, I still got a kick out of The Natural Dentist's Sparkle Berry Blast flavor toothpaste. The toothpaste relies on minerals (silica and mica) for its cleaning and sparkling power. It does have sodium fluoride to prevent cavities, plus it also has such natural goodies as aloe vera gel, lycopene and grapefruit seed extract.

Technically, Sparkle Berry Blast is supposed to be for kids. And it does kind of taste like you're brushing your teeth with liquid candy. But I'm totally OK with that.

For adults with a slightly less sweet tooth, The Natural Dentist also makes grown-up flavors like Peppermint Twist and Orange Zest. The Peppermint Twist one is supposed to also whiten your teeth (using the silica to remove surface stains). Personally, I've yet to find a toothpaste that does a great job whitening your teeth. For a true teeth cleaning/whitening, I think you need to visit a dentist, but I guess every little bit helps if your toothpaste can help you maintain whiteness between cleanings.

I also enjoy The Natural Dentist's Pre-Brush Whitening Antigingivitis rinse. Unlike many other mouthwashes and rinses, The Natural Dentist's rinse contains no alcohol, so you won't get that "My mouth is on fire!" feeling. Instead, The Natural Dentist relies on Peppermint and Sage Oils to conquer bad breath. Oh and the rinse's whitening power supposedly comes from powdered bamboo. And since 1GreenProduct.com is a hearty fan of bamboo, that's another point in The Natural Dentist's favor.

Where to buy:

Purchase multipacks of Natural Dentist products at Amazon.com.

Alternatively, find a broad list of online and offline retailers at The Natural Dentist's own website.

Update: My source at Natural Dentist tells methat prices for all Natural Dentist mouth rinses have recently been reduced 30% from $9.99 to $6.99 for a 16-ounce bottle.

Even better, by visiting The Natural Dentist website, you can download a coupon for $1.50 off any product.

Heys USA Eco-Case Luggage

The Green product world is a strange place.

In certain categories such as clothing, cosmetics and cookware, consumers have a vast array of eco-friendly choices.

But in other categories, it's nigh impossible to find a single Green option.

We used to think that luggage fell into this second category, until we discovered the Heys USA Eco-Case made from 100% recycled plastic.

Introduced in 2008, the Eco-Case comes in three sizes - 28-inch, 24-inch and 19-inch.

It's also available in at least six colors including black, bronze, pink, red, silver and turqouise.

The turqouise 19-inch sample case we received for testing was so adorable we practically wanted to pick it up and hug it. Had we given in to the temptation, the suitcase probably would have felt at least somewhat huggable thanks to its new ABS plastic formulation that Heys says gives the hard-sided case the flexibility of a rubber band. We think the rubber band metaphor is stretching things a bit - pun intended. You won't be stretching the Eco-Case across the room, but it does seem to have measurably more flex than a standard hard-sided case.

We're mystified about why Heys even bothers to offer a 7-year warranty if it's going to exclude both normal wear and tear and any damage that airline baggage handlers might cause. What does the warranty cover then? Maybe if the Eco-Case spontaneously falls apart in the your storage closet, you can county on the warranty, but otherwise it seems like window dressing.

On the other hand, we don't imagine we'll need to test the warranty anytime soon, because the Heys Eco-Case seems like one tough cookie. Four 360-degree spinner wheels from Japan give the case lovely manuveurability, the locking telescoping push-button handle seems rock-solid and all the zippers, lining and other hardware looks and feels top-notch.

Basically, the Eco-Case has the style and substance of a premium piece of serious luggage - with the added Green advantage of being made from recycled plastic.

Heys says the Eco-Case is also 100% recyclable, but we're not clear on how exactly to bring the materials back into the recycling stream. Presumably you can't just leave the Eco-Case on the curb with your milk cartons and soda cans.

Where to buy:

A wide variety of e-tailers carry the Heys USA Eco-Case, including Amazon.com ($440 for 3-piece set), eBags.com ($450 for 3-piece set), Luggage.com ($449.99 for 3-piece set) and others.

Japan Eco-Travel: Solar Shopping Mall, Electric Bikes and Oasis 21

Solar panels cover an Aeon shopping mall in Yonago, Japan (photo by Aaron Dalton)

I recently returned from a few weeks in Japan.

Naturally, during my trip, I kept my eyes open for the latest and greatest eco-news to share with 1GreenProduct.com readers. Here's what I found:

1) At a remodeled Aeon shopping mall near the western city of Yonago, I found huge sections of exterior wall had been lined with solar panels. As a result, practically the entire building functioned as a solar collector. Other parts of the mall structure were covered in "living wall" type greenery. This eco-minded mall even had mini windmills perched on poles in the parking lot. The mall's remodeling had let in more natural light, allowing for a reduction in energy spent on artificial lighting.

'Testing' this electric bicycle meant sitting on it (photo by Aaron Dalton)

Meanwhile, I found an electric bike on display at the mall. Having never had a chance to actually ride one before, I hoped to be able to test it out. In one of those comical cases of misunderstanding that often occurs abroad, the salesperson assured me that I could indeed test the bike. But I soon found this meant only that I could sit on the bike as long as I remained still and did not pedal it anywhere. This didn't really end up being a very useful test of the bike's electric functionality.

America has giant shopping malls. America has a lot of parking lots. Surely we could be retrofitting some of our shopping centers with solar panels and windmills as Aeon has done in Yonago. All it takes is willpower and imagination.

Looking at the Nagoya skyline from the water-covered roof of Oasis 21
(photo by Emran Kassim)

2) In the city of Nagoya, I took a break from seeing castles and museums to visit Oasis 21. This transit center / park / shopping mall / futuristic spaceship-style structure located in the city's Sakae shopping district certainly makes an impression.

What makes it eco? Well, the roof of Oasis 21 consists of a very shallow oval pool of water. The water reflects heat, cooling the ground-level plaza and the open-air below-ground shopping center.

Even better, the roof also collects rain water, which it then uses to irrigate the plantings in the park below.

Plus, it makes for a pretty cool place for couples, families and businesspeople on a lunch break to come sit, contemplate the reflecting pool and gaze at the TV Tower and the rest of Nagoya's high-rise skyline.

I like Oasis 21's boldness. There are surely less expensive ways to collect rain water, but Oasis 21 places Green ideas on center stage in one of the city's trendiest districts, showing that eco can be sexy, eco can be dramatic and eco can be architecturally beautiful.

New Tokyo Metro line with protective clear walls between platform and tracks
(photo by Aaron Dalton)

3) I won't dwell much on the differences between Tokyo's mass transit systems and the subway system that I endure in my hometown of New York City. To think too much on the topic would probably reduce me to tears.

In brief, the Tokyo metro is clean, modern, unoffensive, safe, smooth and quiet.

The New York subway is none of those things.

But what I really would like to draw attention to in this adjacent photograph is the fact that some of the newer Tokyo metro stations have walls of glass or plexiglass (not sure of the exact material) separating the platform from the tracks. When the train arrives, the doors of car line up with sliding doors in the glass walls and both open simultaneously, allowing passengers to exit and board the trains.

As a result, I believe that it is practically impossible to be pushed in front of a train in the Tokyo Metro.

In New York, on the other hand, the narrow and crowded platforms present a definite hazard, particularly during rush hour when a few inches or a shove from behind is all that separates a passenger from the fetid tracks and injury or death beneath an onrushing train.

Given the general state of dilapidation and disrepair in the NY subway, it seems highly unlikely that protective glass doors like these will be installed anytime soon. This is a sad commentary on the extent to which America has fallen behind in mass transit best practices in comparison not only with Japan, but with other countries like France where such systems are being installed.

The Muji e-bike (photo by Aaron Dalton)

4) Finally, not quite satisfied with my brief test of the e-bike back in Yonago, I found an opportunity to rent an electric bike in Tokyo at a Muji store.

For around $15 and a deposit, I had the e-bike for the entire day. This was my first time ever using an electric-assist bike and frankly it was amazingly fun.

The bike was electric-assist - meaning that it would not move unless the rider pedaled. But pedaling up even the steepest hills was no problem with the electric motor on maximum assist. On flatter terrain, I left the electric assist on low or medium settings in order to stretch out the battery life.

Riding the Muji e-bike through Tokyo during cherry blossom season

Using an e-bike feels like someone is giving you a gentle push from behind, like when you were first learning to ride a bicycle. The freedom and speed that an e-bike provides is exhilarating, almost giddy.

At the same time, you do still get some exercise pedaling an e-bike around town for a few hours. But what would have been exhausting without electric assist was merely a nice bit of exercise with the motor providing support.

Incidentally, in Tokyo, bicyclists are allowed to use the sidewalks. This made for some extremely interesting close-quarters maneuvering when the office crowds emerged for the lunchtime rush.

(Oh, another cool thing about the Muji e-bike, which apparently is true of all sorts of bikes sold in Japan, is that it has an integrated lock built right into the bike. Turn and take the key with you when you dismount and a bolt shoots through the wheel, making it impossible for anyone to pedal off with your bike. As a result, no one has to carry around a chain or even a lock to secure their bike to a post or tree. Very convenient and easy. Would love to see this feature on bikes sold in the U.S.! Perhaps it is available here already on some models?)

The Muji bike retailed for approximately $800. Unfortunately, Muji stores in the States don't seem to carry the e-bike, but you can find various electric bikes if you shop around on the Internet or perhaps at your local bike shop.

Amazon sells some e-bikes for reasonable prices, but the $372 eZip Trailz bike appears to use an old-fashioned sealed lead acid battery, whereas newer e-bikes are using lighter and slimmer lithium ion batteries. The Ohm e-bike looks pretty cool, but apparently goes for around $2000.

Based on my experience in Tokyo, I believe that an e-bike could be a real commuting option for people who live fairly close to work (say within 10 miles) and have a relatively safe biking route available. Given the importance of having a comfortable, safe and enjoyable ride, you might want to go to a local bike shop and try out a couple e-bike models in person. If your shop doesn't carry an e-bikes yet, encourage the owner to start bringing e-bikes to the market.

I'm a believer. I think once people get a chance to try out an e-bike, they'll be hooked.

prAna Clothing

We have to give major props to prAna for doing a fantastic job of making practically its entire line of women's clothing eco-friendly.

You've got the Women's Chakara collection made from Chakara(TM) fabric, a brand new type of recycled polyester fabric that prAna claims involves less than a quarter of the CO2 production of other processing methods. Chakara fabrics also contain a dollop of Spandex, allowing the clothes to keep their shape for a long time.

Thanks to the Women's Organic collection, ladies can choose from an array of versatile tops and pants (including denim capri, $70), many with 98% - 100% organic cotton content.

The Women's Mahdia collection also uses organic cotton, this time tie-dyed using an eco-sensitive hands-on process with low-impact dyes and steam-set colors (minimizing water usage). The intricate patterns and the 90% organic cotton content make this collection a winner.

prAna may have focused most of its eco-attention on Greening its womenswear collection, but men aren't left completely out of the picture. Check out the casual, breezy and flexible Men's Sutra pant ($64) made mostly from a light but sturdy combination of hemp and recycled PET.

Where to buy:

Order directly through prAna's website (ladies tops from around $28, pants from around $65) or via other etailers like Amazon.com.

Prefer to try on before you buy? prAna's Dealer Locator page can help you find stores worldwide that carry prAna products.

Green Choice award at GreatNonprofits

Nonprofit organizations play an important role in advancing Green causes around a whole host of issues - habitat preservation, alternative energy, wildlife conservation, etc.

If you're looking to find some of the best eco-friendly nonprofits, the website GreatNonprofits.org is a good place to start.

GreatNonprofits.org recently held its 2009 Green Choice Awards and picked three winners that definitely deserve a lot of praise. And the winners are...

1. Hayes Valley Neighborhood Park Group, San Francisco

2. Slide Ranch, Muir Beach, California

3. Chewonki Foundation, Wiscasset, Maine

Commenting about the Green Choice Awards and the winners, GreatNonprofits.org's Founder and CEO Perla Ni said - “There are so many great nonprofits who don’t have an advertising budget and are not household names. Similar to what Yelp has done for small restaurants, we enable grassroots nonprofits to gain recognition. Now there’s an even playing-field through the genuine testimonials and reviews of people who have seen the work of a nonprofit first-hand. Donors and volunteers now have a source of information for which nonprofits are accountable and effective.”

So check out GreatNonprofits.org. Maybe you'll find a great eco-friendly nonprofit in your own backyard that needs your help or deserves your support

News Flash - Rodale.com Launches

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending a launch event for Rodale.com.

Created by the same company that has been promoting Organic Gardening since 1942, Rodale.com promises to offer a cornucopia of information on how to live healthy, eco-friendly lives. (Which explains the site's slogan - "Where Health Meets Green".)

Rodale.com provides easy access to searchable databases on home remedies and healthy recipes from Prevention.

Plus Rodale.com has plenty of original eco/health news stories and videos that manage to entertain while they instruct.

(There are also fun money-saving eco-living tips from a contributor named Jean Nick, a.k.a. The Nickel Pincher.)

Still not convinced to take a look? The site is running a contest right now where newsletter subscribers have a chance to win a $16,000 Canyon Ranch getaway!

If that's not incentive, I highly recommend taking a look at Maria Rodale's own thought-provoking blog - "Maria's Farm Country Kitchen".

In short, there's lots of valuable information and advice on Rodale.com that could make the site worthwhile for anyone interested in living a healthy, eco-friendly life.